I.a mother (dat. sing. matre, Corp. Inscr. Lat. 177; dat. plur. matris, Inscr. Grut. 90: “matrabus,” Inscr. Orell. 2089).
I. Lit.: “si quidem istius regis (sc. Anci Martii) matrem habemus, ignoramus patrem,” Cic. Rep. 2, 18, 33: “cur non sit heres matri suae?” id. ib. 3, 10, 17: “de pietate in matrem,” id. Lael. 3, 11: “Sassia mater hujus Aviti,” id. Clu. 5, 12: “Hecate, quae matre Asteria est,” who has Asteria for her mother, id. N. D. 3, 18, 46: “musa, matre nati,” id. ib. 3, 18, 45: mater esse de aliquo, to be a mother, i. e. to be pregnant by any one, Ov. H. 9, 48: “facere aliquam matrem,” id. M. 9, 491: mater familias or familiae, the mistress of a house, matron (v. familia).—
B. Transf., a nurse: “mater sua ... quae mammam dabat, neque adeo mater ipsa, quae illos pepererat,” Plaut. Men. prol. 19: “puero opust cibo, opus est autem matri quae puerum lavit,” id. Truc. 5 10: “lambere matrem,” Verg. A. 8, 632.—As a title of honor, mother, applied to priestesses: jubemus te salvere, mater. Sa. Salvete puellae, Plaut. Rud. 1, 5, 5: “amice benigneque honorem, mater, nostrum habes,” id. ib. 1, 5, 30.—To goddesses: “Vesta mater,” Sen. Excerpt. Contr. 4, 2; Verg. G. 1, 498: “mater Matuta, v. h. v.: Flora mater,” Lucr. 5, 739; “the same: florum,” Ov. F. 5, 183: mater magna, or absol.: Mater, i. e. Cybele, the mother of all the gods: “matris magnae sacerdos,” Cic. Sest. 26; cf. absol.: matris quate cymbala circum, Verg. G. 4, 64; id. A. 9, 108: “secreta palatia Matris,” Juv. 9, 23: “matres ... cives Romanae, ut jus liberorum consecutae videantur,” Paul. Sent. 4, 9, 1: “matris condicionem sequi,” Gai. Inst. 1, 81; cf. §§ 67, 86.—Also, in gen., a woman, a lady; usu. in plur., women, ladies: “pilentis matres in mollibus,” Verg. A. 8, 666: “matres atque viri,” id. ib. 6, 306; cf. Ov. F. 1, 619.—Of the earth, as the mother of all: “exercitum Dis Manibus matrique Terrae deberi,” Liv. 8, 6; cf. Cic. Leg. 2, 22, 56.—Of a country: “haec terra, quam matrem appellamus,” Liv. 5, 54, 2: “amorum,” i. e. Venus, Ov. H. 16, 201: “cupidinum,” i. e. Venus, Hor. C. 1, 19, 1.—Of animals: “porci cum matribus,” Varr. R. R. 2, 4: “excretos prohibent a matribus haedos,” Verg. G. 3, 398: “ova assunt ipsis cum matribus, i. e. cum gallinis,” Juv. 11, 70: “mater simia,” id. 10, 195: “pullus hirundinis ad quem volat mater,” id. 10, 232.—Of the trunks of trees, etc.: “plantas tenero abscindens de corpore matrum,” Verg. G. 2, 23; Plin. 12, 5, 11, § 23.—Of a fountain, as the source of waters: “ex grandi palude oritur (fluvius), quam matrem ejus accolae appellant,” Mel. 2, 1, 7.—Of a chief or capital city: “mater Italiae Roma,” Flor. 3, 18, 5: “ut Graeci dicere solent, urbium mater, Cydona,” id. 3, 7, 4: “(Cilicia) matrem urbium habet Tarsum,” Sol. 38; cf. Metropolis.—
II. Trop.
A. The mother, i. e. maternal love: “simul matrem labare sensit,” Ov. M. 6, 629: mater redit, Sen. ap. Med. 928.—
B. Motherhood, maternity, Sen. Herc. Oet. 389.—
C. A producing cause, origin, source, etc. (freq. and class.): “apes mellis matres,” Varr. R. R. 2, 5: “mater omnium bonarum artium sapientia est,” Cic. Leg. 1, 22, 58: “philosophia mater omnium bene factorum,” id. Brut. 93, 322: “avaritiae mater, luxuries,” id. de Or. 2, 40, 171: “voluptas, malorum mater omnium,” id. Leg. 1, 17, 47; 1, 22, 58; id. Tusc. 1, 26, 64; id. Planc. 33, 80; Auct. Her. 2, 22, 34; Plin. 37, 6, 21, § 80; Quint. 9, 3, 89: “juris et religionis,” Cic. Rep. 5, 2, 3: “justitiae imbecillitas mater est,” id. ib. 3, 14, 23: “intemperantia omnium perturbationum mater,” id. Ac. 1, 10, 39: “similitudo est satietatis mater,” id. Inv. 1, 41, 76: “utilitas justi prope mater et aequi,” Hor. S. 1, 3, 98; Lact. 3, 8, 32; Aug. in Psa. 83, 1.—Comically: “eam (sc. hirneam) ego vini ut matre fuerat natum, eduxi meri,” i. e. as it came from the cask, without the addition of water, Plaut. Am. 1, 1, 274.—